Collett Chronicles: Picture Post

I am typing this on July 15th, wondering where half of July has gone and realizing that one month from today, I'll be back work. Why is it that the work weeks drag on, but summer passes so quickly? This also makes me realize that in 2 short weeks, these little ones will be 19 months old and just one step closer to two- wow.

We haven't done anything particularly noteworthy to post picture of; last week, the kids and I hung around the house, went on walks, did a little shopping, and made a trek out to Nana and Pop's house for the afternoon. The kids went to Arlington while I was being interviewed by NPR for a story about the Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas. Here's a link to the story; they did a great job! There is one fact that is incorrect- the kids never went to Cook Children's NICU, they were at Plano Presbyterian NICU- but the overall interview experience and the ability to give the Milk Bank some much needed publicity was well worth the drive to Fort Worth.

http://breakthroughs.kera.org/north-texas-breast-milk-bank-a-decade-of-growth/

In twin news, I thought the best way to "catch up" on this post would to be to post some pictures of the latest happenings- even if they are very mundane. I remember when I started this blog, nothing we were experiencing seemed mundane; every beep of a heart rate monitor and every gram gained was a small victory. It's amazing to me how my brain has now "switched" and I fail to see all the things my kids are discovering, learning, piecing together everyday. It's a miracle to watch their little minds work- to see the gears turn- to stand in awe of the outcomes ("how in the world did they know that?"). I need to use this blog to help me step back and see how far these little ones have come and realize that nothing that they do is mundane- everything they do is a gift that we've never been guaranteed (someone please remind me of this when I'm up to elbows in raw chicken and there's a kid climbing the bookcase and one throwing a temper tantrum on the floor).

I suppose the biggest reason this blog exists is to be a chronicle, as the name suggests, so that Harper and Jack can go back and see what our lives were like, so here are some things I don't want to forget:

Harper:

-Her giggle when she runs across the couch. She knows she's not supposed to stand up on the couch, but when she does and she gets caught, she shrieks and giggles and takes off down the couch and it is so cute to see her collapse in laugher at the other end.

-They way she raises her eyebrows with a look of surprise when you say something she likes. At dinner last night, I asked her if she wanted to go shopping tomorrow and that was the surprised look she gave- you can't help but laugh when she does it.

-Her willingness to still giggle when she plays peek-a-boo (as long as she's in charge of the blanket), and she will play by herself and giggle- too cute.

-The girl's love for her daddy; she greets him at the door every night and holds her hands and squeals "Dada!" She has Tony wrapped around her little finger- that's for sure!

Jack:

-The way he folds his hands behind his and walks around "surveying" the room; Tony calls it his "General Jack Walk"

-This boy narrates his whole day; he talks to everyone we see and talks to himself as he walks around the house. He talks to his sister and will run to Tony or I and announce something important in his Jack-babble and then run away, almost like a thought crossed his mind and he had to make sure to relay it before he forgot.

-He is so curious and wants to be in on everything I do from being the laundry helper, to closing the dishwasher, to demanding to see everything that is cooking on the stove top or via the oven window- this kid wants to be "the helper"

-His love for being on the go. When Tony comes home, Jack will run up to greet him, then off he goes again- this boy hardly sits still and he runs everywhere.

So, here are our pictures from the week- enjoy!